Skopje Hosts International Whistleblower Day – March 24

SKOPJE – Drawing attention to the need to preserve free speech and media rights in Macedonia, the first annual International Whistleblower Day will be held in Skopje on March 24, 2017. The event is in partnership with Free Speech Day Macedonia.

This all-day event at MKC Club features a meet-and-greet with whistleblowers, speeches by activists, a press conference, citizen speak-up, and live music with the Crossroad Blues Band.

Speakers include Special public prosecutor Katica Janeva, whistleblower Simo Gruevski, International Team Leader of Civica Mobilitas, Petrus Theunisz and investigative journalist Zoran Ivanov, president of TI Slagana Taseva and longtime civic activist Dzabir Derala from Civil. Human rights activist and journalist Arzu Geybulla will deliver a keynote speech on the growing challenges and dangers of investigative reporting and activism in Europe and around the world.

“March 24, 2017 is a turning point for our efforts to push back against restrictive free speech and media laws,” said Aleksandar Bozhinovski, project manager and co-founder of the Center for Investigative Journalism SCOOP-Macedonia. “All citizens in Macedonia and throughout the world need to wake up and defend their basic human and civil rights.”

International Whistleblower Day is the day when the world honors citizens who have the integrity and courage to report misconduct while others remain silent. Free Speech Day will recognize the valuable contributions of whistleblowers, activists and investigative journalists in Macedonia. It is also a platform for citizens to express their support for their rights to free speech and civic participation.

Whistleblowers play an essential role in exposing and combating threats to the public interest – from political cronyism and corporate corruption, to bank fraud and money laundering, to polluted water and unsafe food. Through their actions, whistleblowers worldwide have saved countless lives, tens of billions of euros, and vast public and natural resources.